Let me tell you something about noodle soup. When it's cold outside, or rainy, or you're just feeling a little beat up by life, there's nothing better. But most beef noodle soups take all day. And they're loaded with carbs. And honestly? I don't have all day.
This Chinese Beef Noodle Soup changes everything.
We're using an Instant Pot to turn tough beef chuck into fall-apart tender meat in just 35 minutes. The broth is infused with ginger, garlic, shiitake mushrooms, fish sauce, and tamari. It's savory, umami-rich, and deeply comforting. And instead of regular noodles, we're using spiralized zucchini. Low carb. Gluten free. Still slurpable.
Bok choy adds crunch. Sesame oil adds nuttiness. And that beef? It gets tossed with extra tamari after cooking so every bite is packed with flavor.
This is meal prep gold. Make a big batch on Sunday. Eat like a king all week. Let's cook.
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1| Instant Pot friendly. 35 minutes of pressure cooking vs. 3 hours on the stove.
2| Low carb + gluten free. Zucchini noodles instead of wheat noodles. No sacrifice on flavor.
3| Deep, umami broth. Fish sauce, tamari, shiitake mushrooms, ginger, garlic. So good.
4| Fall-apart beef. Chuck roast gets incredibly tender in the pressure cooker.
5| Meal prep beast. Makes 6 big servings. Freezes beautifully.
6| Better than takeout. And way cheaper.
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You'll need an Instant Pot (or a large heavy-bottomed pot for stovetop), a vegetable spiralizer (or store-bought zucchini noodles), a slotted spoon, and a separate pot for blanching the bok choy.
Ingredients (Serves 6):
For the soup base:
For the vegetables and noodles:
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Prep Time: 15 mins | Cook Time: 1 hour (Instant Pot) or 2-3 hours (Stovetop) | Serves: 6
Alright, let's make some soup that'll warm you from the inside out.
First, prep your beef. Cut the beef chuck roast into 1½-inch cubes. Don't stress about perfection - just aim for roughly the same size so they cook evenly.
Now load up the Instant Pot. Dump the beef cubes into the metal insert. Add the water, fish sauce, 2 tablespoons of tamari (save the last tablespoon for later), 1 tablespoon of salt, the sliced shiitake mushrooms, sliced ginger, smashed garlic cloves, and 2 of the green onions cut into chunks.
Thinly slice the remaining 2 green onions and set them aside for garnish.
Lock the lid and set your Instant Pot to cook on high pressure for 35 minutes. When it's done, let the pressure release naturally. Don't quick-release - natural release keeps the meat tender.
While the beef is cooking, bring a separate pot of water to a boil. Add the extra ½ teaspoon of salt. Toss in the baby bok choy (cut lengthwise) and cook for 1-2 minutes, until it's tender-crisp. Not mushy. You want some bite. Remove the bok choy with a slotted spoon and set it aside.
When the Instant Pot is done, open it up. Fish out the ginger slices, smashed garlic cloves, and the chunked green onions. Toss them. They've given their flavor. Their job is done.
Take out the shiitake mushrooms. Cut off and discard the stems (they're tough), then slice the caps. Set them aside.
Now for the beef. Use a slotted spoon to transfer the stewed beef to a bowl. Toss the meat with the remaining 1 tablespoon of tamari sauce. This extra step adds a punch of flavor right at the end.
Finish the broth. Add the sesame oil to the soup. Taste it. Does it need more salt? More fish sauce? Adjust now.
Time to assemble. Divide the spiralized zucchini between 6 soup bowls. Ladle the hot broth over the top. The heat will soften the zucchini noodles slightly - perfect.
Top each bowl with the seasoned beef, sliced shiitake mushrooms, and the cooked bok choy.
Garnish with the sliced green onions and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
Slurp immediately. Soup waits for no one.
Stovetop method (no Instant Pot): Simmer the beef and soup ingredients in a large covered pot for 2-3 hours, until the beef is fork-tender. Keep an eye on the liquid level and add more water if needed. Once cooked, finish the soup as detailed above.
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This recipe is a meal prep dream.
Fridge: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Keep the zucchini noodles separate if possible - they can get soggy.
Freezer: Freeze the broth and beef (without zucchini noodles) for up to 3 months. Freeze in portions. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating:
Pro tip: Freeze the soup in individual portions. When you want a bowl, thaw, reheat, and spiralize a fresh zucchini. 10 minutes total.
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Look, I love a long-simmered beef noodle soup. But I don't always have 3 hours. That's why this Instant Pot version lives in my regular rotation.
The broth is deep and savory. The beef is fall-apart tender. The zucchini noodles let you slurp without the carb crash. And the whole thing comes together in about an hour, most of which is hands-off.
Make this on a Sunday. Pack it for lunch. Eat it when you're sick. Eat it when you're sad. Eat it when you just want something that tastes like someone took care of you.
Your Instant Pot is waiting.
~ Danny Davis
P.S. If you try the five-spice version, let me know. That's my winter upgrade. Hits different when it's cold outside.
I fixed my winter blues with this Chinese beef noodle soup. 🍜 Instant Pot makes the beef fall apart. Zucchini noodles keep it low carb. The broth is umami magic. Gluten free. Meal prep hero. 😎
Once cooked, follow steps 5–10 above to finish the soup.Servings 6
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet. Your daily value may be higher or lower depending on your calorie needs.
